Cities of You

System #5, Visit #1: Lyscria

20 x 16", Gouache on Paper

Although commonly associated with the performing arts, Lyscria can be produced in the more passive arts. A painter uses brilliant reds and bright yellows in quick strokes of the brush to produce sounds that snap and ripple. Sprinkled blues and violets produce chimes that break as they dry. Black ink is a notably challenging medium to produce sound. Broad, unbroken strokes with generous amounts of water sometimes create a black hum that grows deeper as the ink dries and ages. Place your ear against an ancient scroll with such marks and you can still hear remnants of dark movements.